A little warning from the author: As you guessed with this story being mature rated there will be blood and gore, drug and alcohol use, and maybe a little profanity here and there. But for the most of it blood and gore so it's definitely not for the little kiddies.
Shadow, Sonic, Tails, Amy, and Maria are © by Sega.
Crimson Vision
By: Iris Sweetheart
Chapter 1: Out of the Darkness
I shiver. I feel numb. My breath is cold.
I stand alone in darkness.
When there is heat I feel coldness. When there is darkness I feel succumbed.
I am alone in darkness.
When the death light comes I burn. Like fire eating through my skin. Never ending until it is gone.
I live alone in darkness.
I know no one yet everyone knows me.
My name is Shadow. I am a hedgehog of no other kind. I stay in the darkness of this small quaint town. Slowly letting the daylight pass by; drinking by the hour. Then night falls and I make my entrance into town. Wearing shades to hide my eyes from those who wander the streets late at night. Wearing a dark trench coat to blend in with the shadows. My red stripes set some pedestrians in an uneasy state as I walk the streets. I never know where I go. My feet take me to where I am 'most needed'. I get the job done and I take to the shadows again.
Each night is unpredictable. I never know if I'll return home with my memory or if I'll awake in that unusual room that always seems to draw me to it. If I return with no memory a gruesome story of death is told the next day. Many deaths have taken place. Each at irregular times to the point where it's unpredictable. All of them revolving around a winged-demon. I care not for the beings of this town, for I am not one of them. I have no time for emotions, for I see no need for them. I only go where I am 'most needed' and then I leave. Never caring about my victims.
I sit in the icy dining area drinking the daylight hours away. Waiting for the last speck of light to vanish. Pour a glass, drink it up, pour a glass, drink it up. The same thing over and over on days where my hunger overpowers me. These alcoholic fluids have no effect on me. Nothing does. I only do this to pass the time. As the last speck of light fades away, I sit and await the late hours of the night to arrive. The grandfather clock chimes consecutively 12 tones. I walk out of the front door and through the rusty gates of my dead domicile that rested at the empty side of town. I allow my feet to take me to where ever I am 'most needed'.
Down the streets of the sleeping town, bars are open and laughter flows out of them.
"Pathetic beings," I say "wasting their lives. Destroying their bodies…becoming 'impure'. Useless for me."
I continue on. Stalking in the shadows, avoiding their electric light that only blinds me without my shades. Upon exiting a dark alley I stop. A small impeccable sensation burns lightly within me. I take a few more steps and it grows. A few more and it grows. Increasing with every step I take as if I was getting closer to hidden treasure. My legs go into a jog, I begin to breathe harder. Then I run. Down the street almost like a mad man. An animal that has sniffed out its prey. Then darkness.
There is a great warmth within my mouth as fluid rushes in. It fills me to my content. My grip on my victim never ceased till I was satisfied with my withdrawal of 'life'. I loosen my grip, slowly moving away. A bitter freezing air is felt on my mouth cooling it off. I breathe hard taking in deep breaths. I touch my lips and gaze down upon my hand. Blood. Scarlet blood. A smile appeared on my face as I gazed down on my victim. A child sleeping soundlessly with two dark, bloody holes in his neck. His 'life' seeped out of them dripping to the pillow on which he slept creating a dark stain. With my duties done here I vanish into the night.
Cleaning my face of the blood, I take to the streets again going wherever my feet take me. I was drawn to two more places and took care of business there. Then as I was walking the streets once more, a being had bumped into me nearly knocking me over.
"Hey, watch where you're going jerk!" the being shouted.
I turned to him, glaring at him from one eye. He was 'impure', drunk if you will. I could tell from the circles around his eyes that he didn't get much sleep. His eyes were red and his clothes wreaked of an awful stench. I turned to him staring at him through my black shades.
"You got a problem with me!?" he shouted.
Yet I was silent. It was the most suitable answer I found for the 'impure' type seeing as how they found it hard to comprehend anything that's going on around them.
"Oh so you think you're smart do ya!? Insulting me as if I was the idiot!"
The alcohol must've gone to his head. He was hearing things. The next thing I knew, the being had drawn out a small dagger of some sort and attempted an attack on me. I swiftly dodged him and kicked him in his back. He stumbled but came back for more. Left and right. Left and right. His attack executions got worse with every strike. Knowing that I've been out for quite a while, I ended this scuffle with a swift upward kick to the being's jaw. He was sent flying into the air and crashed into some garbage can nearby.
"Serves you right." I murmur.
Walking away casually, the being had gotten up and took one last swing at me with his fist. Catching me off guard, he made a direct hit and I hit the concrete hard. As I tried to get up, he kicked me in my back and attacked again and again constantly until I was knocked into a dark alley.
"What a jack-ass." I heard the being say as he left.
I lay in the alley staring up into the dark sky. No stars in sight. I had felt a sudden burn within me growing slowly while I was getting beaten. Now that burning anger had ignited into a destructive uncontrollable fire. I tried to stand but fell on my knees. I began to breathe hard. My muscles tightened. The rage grew out of my control. I felt hotter and hotter. Sweat falling down my face. Then darkness.
What is this? Where am I? Red? Crimson red. That's all I see!! I take to the sky and search for my victim below. There he is; the being that assaulted me. He must suffer!!! My cry fills the air and the being sees me. He runs, I pursue. Landing on top of my victim, he screams and cries out for help. But no one hears his cries on the dark empty street. My talons scar him, blood splatters everywhere. I stomp on him, my weight crushing his ribs. The being is raised into the air and is smashed into the concrete. I knock him into the street and begin kicking him around. Yeah!! How do you like it now 'impure' being!? Not so fun isn't it!? I stop. His body mangled with broken bones and gashes with blood flowing out of every inch of his body. Tiny pieces of flesh and muscle laying in the street; the being barely alive. Then with my bare claws I smash his face and let out a tremendous cry.
No!! What is this!? Cold!! Too cold, almost freezing!! My body stiffens as an icy feeling rushes through me and to my head. Stop!!! Can't take the pain!!! The throbbing pain in my head pounds more and more into my conscious. I give out one last cry and then…darkness.
"It's dark. I'm awake but my eyes do not open. Why? I must see my surroundings."
The mysterious dark room. The room full of antique furniture that was covered with tan sheets. Dusty with an odd smell. On the wall was a large covered portrait that I never went near. Nor did I even think about it. I was in that strange room yet again with no recollection of my previous night. My vision was blurry as well as my thoughts. I could not stand up or even hold my balance as I sat up. Everything was a mystery to me. How did I get here? What makes me come here? Why does this happen so much? A few minutes pass and I was up on my feet. My legs feeling wobbly like a new born. My body feeling numb as always. Then I looked down and to my dismay…
"Not again!!" I thought "Every time!! Every damn time!! Why!? WHY!!?"
Blood covered my hands and my body that had been stripped of the trench coat I usually wore. Leaving only one question left for me to say:
"What would the story be this time?"